Mop



A. C. KOOTZ June 9, 1942.

MOP

Filed March 25, 1940 JITIVENTOR.' a /z//z y ATTORNEY.

Patented June 9, 1942 Mor Arthur C. Kootz, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor toGem Products, Incorporated, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application March 23, 1940, Serial No. 325,509

3 Claims.

This invention relates in general to mops and has more particularreference to Waxing, dusting and polishing devices of this class inwhich the mop head is iiexibly mounted with respect to a handle.

An important object of the invention is in the provision of a flexiblemop head support which is simple in construction, easy to attach andremove and effective and eicient in operation.

A further object of the invention is in the provision of a spiral Wireattaching holder for a mop head which provides a grip at one end and athreading handle attachment at the other.

A still further object of the invention is in the provision of a simple,durable and inexpensive mop holder which eliminates all nuts, bolts,screws and metal stampings and at the same time provides a durableholder of this kind which is not likely to get out of order.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter, the preferredconstruction being i1- lustrated in the accompanying drawing in whichFig. 1 is a plan View of a mop constructed in accordance with theprinciples of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a threaded supporting cap at the end ofthe handle; and

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the mop holder illustrating theflexibility of the mounting.

In wipers, mops and similar articles now commonly used the mop heads areusually mounted in and attached to the handles by metal stampings, nuts,screws and bolts, and it is diicult to provide an inexpensive flexibleholder which at the same time is easily removed from and attached to themop without requiring the application of some tool or special implementto effect the change.

The present invention overcomes these difficulties by providing a wireframe and a spiral wire attaching holder for connecting the frame andthe handle, which of itself affords suicient resilience so that the mopcan be worked on both sides and the handle bent relatively to the headin either position.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, a xed mop head isrepresented as comprising two loop portions 4 consisting of fibres orcords 5 secured in place between twisted wires 6 forming a frame inwhich the fibres are omitted for a portion at the center so that thisportion may be bent upon itself to form a projecting and supporting steml. Each extremity 8 of the Wire is bent upon itself to form a partiallyclosed loop which will not engage or mar fl Il any surface to which themop is applied and the twisted wires may be bent to form a mop head ofany desired shape or configuration, depending upon the nature of servicedesired.

A supporting handle 9 of any desired length is provided with a screwend, either formed on the extremity -of the handle itself or it may beprovided in a sheet metal cap l0 having a collar II which is permanentlysecured to the end of the handle by one or more fastening nails I2.

To connect the stem of the mop head to the handle a spiral wire holderI3 is provided with a diameter at one end sufficient to engage over thescrew end of the handle or the cap IIJ, the threads of the capconforming to the spirals of the wire holder so that it may be threadedtightly thereon by simply inserting the end of the handle or cap andtwisting it in place. The outer or free coils are gradually reduced indiameter and a few of the outermost coils I4 are flattened to moreclosely receive the stem 'I of the mop frame which is tightly insertedtherein, and after the stem is inserted as far as possible the outer endI5 of the wire holder is bent or looped over the stem, confining ittightly in position.

Thus the mop head With the exible spring holder I3 is applied to andremoved from the handle as a unit, this holder has one end portionengaging the handle and its other end portion engaging the mop head,with an intermediate number of turns which are free from engagement witheither the head of the handle by and upon which the handle may be movedor swung in a limited arc or curve so that the mop may lie flat on thefloor on either side with the handle extending upwardly therefrom andswung laterally in either position. There is sufficient rigidity in thespring holder I3 to yieldingly maintain the stem and handle in alignmentand they tend to return to this position whenever any deflectingpressure is relieved.

Although this mounting is particularly desirable in connection with adust mop, polisher or Wiper, a similar flexible mounting may be appliedto other tools and implements. The same handle may be used for differentmop heads or tools having the same spring wire holder and the handle isquickly applied or removed for convenience in shipping, packing andotherwise disposing of the implement.

I claim:

1. In a mop, a handle with a screw end, a spiral Wire holder having oneend threaded on the screw end and the spiral coils at the other end freefrom the handle compressed and flattened, and a pad holding frame with asupporting stem inserted in and held by the ilattened coils, the frameextending laterally in the plane of compression of the coils.

. 2. In a mop, a handle With a screw end, a spiral Wire holder havingone end threaded on the screw end, an intermediate portion free from thehandle end, and an opposite end portion in Which the coils are flatlycompressed and inclined, and a pad holding frame extending laterally inthe plane of compression of the end coils, having a stem inserted intoand held by the compressed coils, the intermediate portion of the holderpermitting a resilient swinging movement of the frame about the end ofthe handle.

3. In a mop, a pad holding frame having a substantially flat projectingstem with lateral extensions, and a spiral Wire holder with the coils atone end flattened against the stem inserted therein and the adjacent endof the holder looped over the inner end of the stem to additionally holdit and the frame together, the coils at the other end of the holderforming means for screwing it upon the threaded end of a supportinghandle.

ARTHUR C. KOOTZ.

